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For binary digit array of N bits, use N noise sources to feed N nonlinear operators; each flip-flop in digit array is set by nonlinear operator to reflect whether amplitude of generator which feeds it is above or below mean value of generated noise. Fixed-point uniform distribution random number generation method can also be used to generate random numbers with other than uniform distribution.
Efficient, digital image-enhancement process has been developed for high-resolution slow-scan TV images. Scan converter is no longer subject to registration errors, which become more serious as resolution increases. To implement feedback image enhancement system, digital processing is used; otherwise there is excessive loss of image information, particularly in video delay lines.
Encoder has been used for years to measure accurately positional parameters of controlled devices with very high accuracy and reliability. Digital control system has been designed using digital shaft angle encoders.
System, fabricated of highly-reliable digital logic elements, operates on binary pulse-code-modulated signals and derives internal synchronization from data signal. All-digital implementation of detector develops synchronization from data signal by computer cross-correlation of command modulation signal with its expected forms in sequence and adjusts detector phases in accordance with correlation peaks.
Bit-synchronizers utilize all-digital phase-lock loops that are referenced to a high frequency digital clock. Phase-lock loop of first design acquires frequency within nominal range and tracks phase; second design is modified for random binary data by addition of simple transition detector; and third design acquires frequency over wide dynamic range.
Details of plans for developing a digital image processing facility to handle remote sensing data are reported. Also given are programs for data acquisition and handling, systems for use in programming various digital image processing tasks, and algorithms for feature enhancement.
A general purpose instrument, DONAR, that can readily treat all applications based on a digital computer was designed and installed. The DONAR can be programmed to run an experiment, record the data in digital form, extract desired information, process the data, and display the new form of the information or plot the data. It can be readily instructed to change the operating conditions to suit the problem in hand.
Digital image-processing techniques developed for processing pictures from NASA space vehicles are analyzed in terms of enhancement, quantitative restoration, and information extraction. Digital filtering, and the action of a high frequency filter in the real and Fourier domain are discussed along with color and brightness.
A three part survey is made of the state-of-the-art in digital filtering. Part one presents background material including sampled data transformations and the discrete Fourier transform. Part two, digital filter theory, gives an in-depth coverage of filter categories, transfer function synthesis, quantization and other nonlinear errors, filter structures and computer aided design. Part three presents hardware mechanization techniques. Implementations by general purpose, mini-, and special-purpose computers are presented.
The application is described of a digital control valve on an electrohydraulic servo actuator. The digital control problem is discussed in general as well as the design and evaluation of a breadboard actuator. The evaluation revealed a number of problems associated with matching the valve to a hydraulic load. The problems were related to lost motion resulting from bulk modulus and leakage. These problems were effectively minimized in the breadboard actuator by maintaining a 1000 psi back pressure on the valve circuit and thereby improving the effective bulk modulus.
Progress is reported on the development of a computing facility that provides automatic processing of remote sensing data on earth resources. Preliminary work on digital signal processing algorithms and the writing of corresponding programs for the design of digital filters is outlined.
The development of the Apollo digital autopilots (the primary attitude control systems that were used for all phases of the lunar landing mission) is summarized. This report includes design requirements, design constraints, and design philosophy. The development-process functions and the essential information flow paths are identified. Specific problem areas that existed during the development are included. A discussion is also presented on the benefits inherent in mechanizing attitude-controller logic and dynamic compensation in a digital computer.
ERTS-1 MSS and RBV data recorded on computer compatible tapes have been analyzed and processed, and preliminary results have been obtained. No degradation of intensity (radiance) information occurred in implementing the geometric correction. The quality and resolution of the digitally processed images are very good, due primarily to the fact that the number of film generations and conversions is reduced to a minimum. Processing times of digitally processed images are about equivalent to the NDPF electro-optical processor.
A simple second-order digital phase-locked loop has been designed for the Viking Orbiter 1975 command system. Excluding analog-to-digital conversion, implementation of the loop requires only an adder/subtractor, two registers, and a correctable counter with control logic. The loop considers only the polarity of phase error and corrects system clocks according to a filtered sequence of this polarity. The loop is insensitive to input gain variation, and therefore offers the advantage of stable performance over long life. Predictable performance is guaranteed by extreme reliability of acquisition, yet in the steady state the loop produces only a slight degradation with respect to analog loop performance.
Analysis of the bit-level operations involved in the convolution realizing a nonrecursive digital filter leads to hardware designs of digital filters based on the operation of counting. Two distinct designs are outlined: the first one is capable of very high speed but is rather expensive; the second is quite slow but has the advantages of low cost and high flexibility. The basic designs considered utilize fixed-point representation for the data and filter coefficients. Variants allowing floating-point representation of the coefficients are also described.
Description of a simple single-sideband (SSB) mixer design that yields either a sum-frequency output with the difference-frequency output suppressed or vice-versa, and uses only 'digital' logic devices and no reactive or frequency-selective 'analog' (linear) circuit elements. A pair of outputs is generated in phase quadrature. It is shown that SSB frequency conversion can be accomplished for many applications much more efficiently with simple digital circuitry than in the usual way with complicated linear frequency selective filter and phasing circuits.
The digital image processing performed by the Image Processing Laboratory (IPL) at JPL in support of the Mariner 9 mission is summarized. The support is divided into the general categories of image decalibration (the removal of photometric and geometric distortions from returned imagery), computer cartographic projections in support of mapping activities, and adaptive experimenter support (flexible support to provide qualitative digital enhancements and quantitative data reduction of returned imagery). Among the tasks performed were the production of maximum discriminability versions of several hundred frames to support generation of a geodetic control net for Mars, and special enhancements supporting analysis of Phobos and Deimos images.
The existence of quantizer-induced limit cycles in digital control systems is a well-known phenomenon. This paper reports the results of an investigation into the discrete describing function technique which is applicable not only to the quantizer nonlinearity but also to any nonlinearity in an otherwise linear discrete system. First a general expression is developed for the discrete describing function that is applicable to any nonlinearity. The describing function is then obtained for the quantizer nonlinearity. Finally, the use of the discrete describing function is illustrated by an example of a digital control system.